A British mother is leaving her children behind to make a new life with a U.S. prisoner she met online.
Jennifer
Butler, 29, is flying 5,000 miles from the UK to French Robertson Unit
in Texas to marry Christopher Mosier, 23, leaving her three young kids
who are all younger than 10.
She
plans to move in with him when he is released on parole in September.
Her children will stay with their dad, from whom she split in 2010.
'Some
people might think I'm bonkers for falling in love with a prisoner. And
not everyone will agree with our relationship,' Butler said. 'But Chris
is a wonderful man. Sure, he made a few mistakes in the past, but
everybody deserves a second chance.'
Love: Jennifer Butler, 29, pictured right
earlier this year, is flying 5,000 miles from the UK to French Robertson
Unit in Texas to marry Christopher Mosier, 23, left, leaving her three
young kids who are all younger than 10
The
single mother began writing to Mosier in July 2011 after catching his
profile on the website writeaprisoner.com, which helps would-be pen pals
write to inmates.
Mosier’s profile revealed he had been sentenced to 15 years in 2009 for burglary with deadly conduct and drugs convictions.
He was a member of an armed gang that burgled a house and he had previous convictions for possessing cannabis.
Butler says she felt an immediate connection to him and was impressed by his honesty.
'I
felt sorry for him being locked up, nobody to talk to except other
prisoners. Of course, I didn't condone his crimes. But he was still a
human being, and deserved to have a friend,' Butler said.
'I
was really intrigued by his profile. It was different to the rest. Most
of the guys were posing with their tops off. But his was articulate and
he was open about his crime.'
Leaving them behind: Butler, seen center in May,
plans to move in with her lover when he is released on parole in
September. Her children, pictured with her, will stay with their dad,
from whom she split in 2010
They
started writing up to three times a week and their relationship
deepened, but in June 2013 she suddenly stopped receiving his letters.
I
felt really sad that I hadn't heard from him. That's when I realized my
feelings for him ran a lot deeper. I no longer saw him as just a friend
anymore,' Butler said.
'Then
a month later I received a letter from him. He told me that the prison
had been on lockdown so he had not been able to get stamps to write to
me,' the smitten mom said.
'I realized I was in love with him and that letter made me admit it to myself. I couldn't bear to lose him.'
Their
relationship became more serious, and Butler even encouraged her three
children — Tyler, 8, Tristan, 7, and Mia, 4 — to write to Mosier, too.
The jailbird frequently sent them letters back with drawings for his cell that they had made him.
The
mom-of-three says she believes it's important for her children to get
to know him, as she now plans to spend the rest of her life with him.
After saving from her monthly wages as a part-time sales assistant, Butler was able to afford a trip to visit Mosier in prison.
Mothering from abroad: Jennifer Butler from
Mildenhall, Suffolk, is leaving behind her kids Tyler, 8, Tristan, 7,
and Mia, 4. The single mum started writing to a criminal in a US jail
two years ago. She intends to leave them in the UK with family for a
year while she goes and sets up a life for them before sending for them
Her first visit was in October. But Mosier had been in a fight with another prisoner so had his visiting privileges taken away, meaning they had to speak through a glass screen.
'We weren't allowed to touch because he was a maximum security prisoner at the time,' said Butler.
'We
had a glass window between us and had to talk through a phone. When I
saw him walking down the corridor I knew he was the man for me. We
talked for four hours and it felt like I'd known him all my life.'
But
their controversial relationship caused a huge rift within Jennifer's
family, who feared she was putting her children in danger.
'I
knew people wouldn't have a good thing to say because he is an inmate.
If he was just a guy from America I'd met online it would be different,'
Butler said.
'I've had people ask why I'm not worried
for the safety of my children. That cut me deep. To think that because
he's a criminal my children would be at risk hurt me. Chris is a
brilliant man. He's not a dangerous criminal. He's learnt from his
mistakes,' she said.
Pen pals: The pair were exchanging letters every
day and eventually she flew to Texas earlier this year to meet him,
which is when this picture was taken. They fell in love and now hey are
now engaged
'Others
ask why I'm with someone that I can't be with physically. Of course I
get lonely but my heart is with him so deeply that I don't have a
choice.'
Butler
visited him twice in just four months. On her third visit in April, the
couple got engaged. Mosier proposed by tying a piece of grey string
around her finger while in the visitors' room.
The 29-year-old insists she will be reunited with her children once she is settled in the U.S.
'He held my hand and said how much I meant to him and he got emotional. He never usually does,' said Jennifer.
'He then said he wanted to make me happy and asked me to marry him. I just broke down. I said of course I would.'
Mosier is up for parole in September and the couple plan to marry when he is released.
Jennifer will leave her children with their dad, who supports her decision, and relocate to the US to start her new life.
Free to marry: The prisoner, Chris, is up for parole next year and Jennifer, pictured, plans to marry him on his release
'Leaving
my children is not an easy thing to decide to do. But I want to get
everything ready for them in America before they move, too,' she said.
'I'm
doing this for our future because I want us to be a family. I need to
set up a life out there for us and I'll do whatever I can to get them
over with us as soon as possible.'
She
added, 'I am devoted to my children but they deserve a happy mum too.
This relationship will be for me but the life I build is going to be for
all of us.'
Butler
says she believes her children are just as excited about the move as
she is, and although they haven't met their future stepdad yet, she'd
confident they'll make a happy family.
'My
children are excited about eventually moving over there. As kids, they
won't realize about me not being around until I'm actually gone. It's
going to be hard saying goodbye, but I know I'll see them again soon,”
she said.
'It's
fine because they know I'm going over there to find us a house and to
sort out their schooling. The main thing is that they're excited to get
to meet Chris.'
Butler
concludes: 'I know he did a terrible crime but he's a changed man. He's
going to make a wonderful husband and a brilliant stepdad to my
children.'
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